Technical Abstract:
Biochar, a byproduct of the pyrolysis process of biomass-to-energy conversion, can be used as a soil amendment to improve soil health, providing beneficial use for biochar. The quality of the biochar as soil amendment and its environmental impact are likely to depend on feedstock source and processing conditions. Chicken litter- and plant residue-derived biochars processed under different conditions were evaluated for characteristics that impact the soil health and water quality. The results indicated that the biochar CaCO3 equivalent increased with temperature and with steam activation, whereas increase in macro- and micro- nutrients content was affected by steam activation. Metal enrichment was temperature dependent; however, metal solubility was feedstock, process, and metal dependent. The results of the study suggest that feedstock and pyrolysis processes markedly affect biochar properties. Management practices need to be further refined in order to assure agronomically beneficial and environmentally safe use of biochar in soil.